Device for cleaning soles of shoes

ABSTRACT

A shoe, particularly a ski boot, work shoe or the like, has a scraper mounted on or integral with the upper part of the shoe extending between the ankle and large toe and has a length corresponding substantially to the width of the sole of the shoe. The scraper may comprise a metallic insert, a synthetic plastic material or comprise a blade which constitutes the scraping edge.

1 DEVICE FOR CLEANING SOLES OF SHOES The present invention relates to a-device-for cleaning. the soles of shoes, more particularly, to the cleaningof the soles of ski boots, work shoes or the like that may be covered with lumps of soil, snow or ice.

It has been the practice to remove lumps of snow or crusts of ice adhering to the soles of ski boots with the tips of ski poles or other instruments or to scrape the soles of boots on parts of ski bindings or' some other fixed object. In order to simplify the cleaning of ski boots it has been proposed to-provide a scraper which is attached to a ski. Such a scraper'may have a blade or some other structure defining an edge against'which the boot could be moved.

The removal of adhering crusts of snow or ice from the soles of ski boots by the use of scraper edges attached to a ski was not completely satisfactory. One disadvantage was that the scraper attached to a ski does not provide a sufficiently high resistance to scraping since in actual-practice the ski will slide to and fro during the cleaning operation, will slip away or sink into deep snow. A second disadvantage was that clean soles of ski boots are required not only for stepping into the ski bindings but in other cases where the skier does not carry along a ski equipped with a scraper or other accessory. Such cases may occur when the skier is stepping on icy surfaces, smooth floors, steps, or other surfaces within or adjacent to buildings. The same problem occurs when a person is wearing shoes covered with lumps of soil or the like. It is desired to remove a ski boot or work shoe has a scraper attached or mounted to the shoe in sucha position so as to enable the sole of another shoe to be moved over the scraper these lumps of soil in order to avoid any accidents reare covered with a crust of ice or lumps of snow. There is another problem in that skis equipped with such scraper devices or other accessories presented a possible source of injury, particularly when the skier fell.

This likelihood of injury increased when the skis became detached from the boots. 1

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved device for cleaning the soles of shoes, ski boots, work shoes, sport 7 shoes and the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for cleaning the soles of shoes which quickly and effectively with a minimum of effort cleanses the soles and is available for use to the wearer at all times without dependence upon the presence of skis or some other instrument.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device for shoes which device is securely attached onto a shoe so as to offer sufficient re-,

sistance to the scraping movement to perform an efi'ective cleaning operation.

The objects of the present invention are obtained and modification.

the disadvantages of the prior art as described above .are eliminated by the present invention. According to one aspect of the present invention a shoe particularly to clean the sole. The scraper may be mounted on the upper part of the shoe and has a length corresponding approximately to the. width of the sole of the shoe. The scraper may be made of metal or a synthetic plastic material and may comprise a blade having an edge against which the soleof the shoe may be scraped. The scraper extends substantially over that portion of the shoe between the ankle and the largetoe.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon reference to the accompanying description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, which'are exemplary, wherein; I

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ski boot provided with an integrally molded scraper device according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another ski boot provided with a modification of the invention.

Proceeding next to the drawings wherein like reference symbols indicate the same parts throughout the various views a specific embodiment and modifications ofithe present invention will be describedin detail.

In FIG. 1, there is illustrated a ski boot having a sole 1 and an-upper part 2.'A scraping device 3 according to the present inventionis provided with an outer rectilinear blade portion which defines a scraping edge 4 and beside-the edge is a serrated scraping edge 5. The scraper device 3 can be molded integrally with the upper part2 of a synthetic resin material by a suitable processas known in the art. The scraper 3 can also be bonded to the upper part 2 by a suitable glue or other form of adhesive. A metallic reinforcement element which is not shown may be inserted into the scraper device 3.

The scraper portion 5 is essentially in the form of an elongated prism having a plurality of spaced notches therein so as to form, in effect, a plurality of points as shown in FIG]. I Y

The scraper- 3 is mounted on the inner side of the forward half of the ski boot and extends in the longitudinal direction extending from the ankle to the large toe.- This portion of thefoot may be described as the dorsum of the foot.

The ski boot illustrated in FIG. 2 is provided with a metallic reinforcing plate 6 which isattached to the shoe and has thereon a scraper device 7. The plate 6 is attached to the upper part of the boot such as by means of rivets 8 or the like. In the event that the reinforcing plate 6 is omitted, the scraper device 7 can also be attached as such to the upper part of the shoe. The scraper may constitute either a portion of the plate 6 or a separate element which is attached to this plate. The scraper may comprise an abrasion-resistant synthetic plastic material with or without a metal insert. Metal alone can be used as the scraper device in this The scraper may be formed in a wide variety of shapes other than those disclosed herein. A blade which forms a scraping edge may be employed on the scraper device in conjunction with a notched prismatic scraping surface or by itself. By employing a scraper device with two scraper edges with one edge being serrated and the other edge being smooth in the form of a blade one will be able to obtain a final complete cleaning of the boot. In any event, a single or double rivets or adhesives.

. 3 edge scraper device must be so shaped that the lumps of soil, snow or ice crusts may. flow off to the left and to the right of the scraper during the scraping process.

It is also within the scope of this invention to provide a separately fabricated single. or double edge scraper 'which may be attached to the upper part of the shoe and/or to the fittings on the shoe by means of screws,

Thus it can be seen that the present invention discloses a scraper device which becomes effective when the sole of a ski boot or other footwear is scraped 1' 4 scraperco'mprising an elongated scraping edge.

" 2.- In the combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the length of the scraper corresponds substantially to across the scraping edge of the'other shoe which offers the requisite resistance to the scraping-off process because of' the weightof the body-of the wearer of the shoes. The scrapercan thus be employed effectively at any time and in any place without the necessity for rely- 1 ing on skis or other instruments. Because the scraper is made either integrally with the foot wear or securely attached thereto the scraper device cannot be lost or left behind. Since the scraper device is mounted on the boot any danger of injury from the scraper edges is eliminated.

sole of another shoe to be moved over the scraper, said the width of the sole of the shoe.

3; In the combination as claimed in claim 1' and a metal insertin' said scraper to constitute the scraping area; l i

4. In the combination as claimed in claim '1 wherein said scraper comprises an elongated prism having spaced notches therein.

5. In the combination as claimed in claim I wherein said scraper comprises a blade having a scraping edge.

6- In the combination as claimed in claim 4 and means on said scraper defining a blade having ascraping edge.

7. In the. combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scraper is positioned on the forward half of the shoe.

8. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scraper extends over that portion ofthe shoe betweenthe ankle and the large toe.

9. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scraper is made of a synthetic resinous material.

- 10. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 and a metallic reinforcing element mounted on the shoe, said scraper being attached to said reinforcing element.

11. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 and a -metallic reinforcing element mounted on the shoe, said scraper comprising a portion of said reinforcing element. 

1. In combination, a shoe particularly a ski boot or work shoe, and a scraper integrally molded to the upper part of said shoe in such a position to enable the sole of another shoe to be moved over the scraper, said scraper comprising an elongated scraping edge.
 2. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the length of the scraper corresponds substantially to the width of the sole of the shoe.
 3. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 and a metal insert in said scraper to constitute the scraping area.
 4. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scraper comprises an elongated prism having spaced notches therein.
 5. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scraper comprises a blade having a scraping edge.
 6. In the combination as claimed in claim 4 and means on said scraper defining a blade having a scraping edge.
 7. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scraper is positioned on the forward half of the shoe.
 8. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scraper extends over that portion of the shoe between the ankle and the large toe.
 9. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scraper is made of a synthetic resinous material.
 10. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 and a metallic reinforcing element mounted on the shoe, said scraper being attached to said reinforcing element.
 11. In the combination as claimed in claim 1 and a metallic reinforcing element mounted on the shoe, said scraper comprising a portion of said reinforcing element. 